EU-Macao Joint Committee | Secretary Leong co-chairs meeting in Belgium

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, briefed representatives from the European Union on Macao’s latest economic developments, including the Government’s first-ever Five-Year Development Plan, according to a statement issued by the Government Information Bureau.

The briefing took place in Brussels, Belgium this week during the 21st EU-Macao Joint Committee meeting, which was co-chaired by the Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Asia and the Pacific, Gunnar Wiegand and Secretary Leong.

During the meeting, both sides updated each other on the latest developments of their economies and exchanged views on several issues. Topics discussed included: taxation; legal cooperation; and the Government’s current procurement system.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in priority fields of mutual interest, such as legal training, interpretation and translation training, research and innovation, combating human trafficking, as well as environment protection.

During the meeting, the EU and Macau representatives agreed to continue the training program in conference interpretation and translation in Chinese and Portuguese in order to meet the demand of the EU and of Macau for qualified interpreters for both languages. The two sides also agreed to strengthen exchanges by establishing a regular dialogue in order to support development of the increasing role of the EU businesses operating in Macau.

Leong then briefed the EU officials about the first ever Five-Year Development Plan for Macao – a blueprint for the city’s socio-economic development spanning the period 2016 to 2020 inclusive.

The Plan highlights the Government’s administrative efforts to: achieve

Macau’s moderate economic diversification; position the city as a world center of tourism and leisure and as a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries; and contribute to the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

The previous EU-Macao Joint Committee meeting was held in Macau on December 5, 2015. The annual bilateral meeting is in accordance with Article 16 of the EC-Macao Trade and Co-operation Agreement, signed on 15 December 1992.

Following the official visit to Brussels, Leong is now headed to Lisbon, where he is scheduled to meet with officials from the Portuguese Government. Leong will also attend events related to a memorandum of understanding on promotion of entrepreneurship and economic and business cooperation, signed in Macau during the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum Macao for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.